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I recently enjoyed a 36-hour layover in London, just days after the Jubilee. Londoners seemed anything but jubilant. Anyone who had a second home, or a second cousin twice removed with a second home, or a pop-up camper, seemed to have fled. By the time I arrived the out-of-towners who had come for the Jubilee had mostly left, and some Londoners were trickling back in. Many with the means and the flexibility don’t plan to return until the Olympics end on August 12.

Diehard tourists are filling the void. London is the top destination city in the world for international travelers. (See “The 20 Most Popular Cities In The World To Visit In 2012.”) But for all that this great city has to offer, the focus right now seems to be on sports. Although the Olympics don’t start until July 27, I noticed athletes roving in packs, and members of various service industries who already seemed drained by catering to tourists.

Clearly, visitors to the Olympics should set aside any notion of a typical London experience–whatever that is. Here are other tips for surviving the event and not looking too much like a crass tourist.

1. Check Seat Gurubeforebooking your ticket. The goal here is to avoid occupying that dreaded seat adjacent to the lavatories, lest you be subjected to an endless view of rear ends waiting in line, and accidental bumping by those rear ends during periods of turbulence. Plus, every time the door opens your lungs fill with the toxic airplane lavatory disinfectant fumes. This would not get your trip off to a good start.

2. Don’t complain about Starbucks prices. Starbucks is a Seattle-based company. So of course your triple macchiato, half-caf/half-decaf with a shot of vanilla is going to be a lot more expensive. The beans had to travel across multiple continents to get to London. Besides, when you are in London you should drink tea anyway. There is a reason wars have been fought over the stuff. It is really good, especially with milk and sugar.

But if like me you need a big American cup of coffee upon landing in a foreign country, jet lagged and disoriented, do yourself a favor. Avoid the need to immediately wrestle with ATM machines and foreign currency. Come with a preloaded Starbucks gift card. You can buy it at your neighborhood Starbucks in U.S. currency and use it anywhere in the world. Since you have already paid for it, you won’t feel like you are spending roughly what it costs for a bottle of Rothschild Bordeaux, just to get a cup of Joe.

3. Leave the flashy athletic shoes at home. Yes, those new running shoes that glow an eerie yellow in the dark and contain gel in their soles to absorb the force of each step look tempting. But avoid temptation. Unless you are an athlete or have an obligation to a financial sponsor, anything neon-colored or with a label or a logo on the outside just screams, “I am a crass tourist.”

What about those bumpy cobblestones that leave your feet sore?

I have seen plenty of elegant women and even more elegant transvestites navigate them in stilettos with grace. If you can’t, there are other options. Carhartt work boots have become quite the fashion statement, and have caught on with the Brits. And Christopher McDougall’s bestseller “Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen” has a huge following in London. It’s about running barefoot or with minimalist (often 5-fingered) footwear. Which goes to show that if runners can get by without the fancy and expensive athletic shoes, so can you.

Fashionistas might prefer to emulate Kate Moss, who pairs Hunter-brand Wellies with Daisy Duke shorts. But to quote William Shakespeare, perhaps England’s most famous homeboy, “To thine own self be true.” If you used to look like Kate Moss or never looked like Kate Moss, this is not the outfit for you.

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